Simple and delicious, this Mediterranean salad with chickpeas Loaded with veggies with an oil free dressing. It’s gluten-free and full of flavor. This Mediterranean chickpea salad recipe is a great side dish or entrée salad. And it only takes a few minutes to make!
When I want to make a simple side salad or entree salad, my first choice is always the Mediterranean flavor. However, I love this Mediterranean salad with fresh herbs, vegetables and chickpeas with a simple dressing. Although Mediterranean salad recipes vary with ingredients, key flavors make or break the salad. However, what’s unique about this Mediterranean chickpea salad recipe is that it’s made with chickpeas and doesn’t include lettuce among the many vegetables.
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Although I make many different Mediterranean salad recipes, this recipe only takes a few minutes to complete. And, if you like Mediterranean flavors like me, if you like salads with lettuce or pasta, you’ll love these salads too.
Fresh herbs vs. dried herbs
More often than not, I prefer fresh herbs over dried ones. But, don’t believe it, there is a general rule of thumb for cooking with dried herbs versus fresh. The ratio of dried versus fresh herbs is three to one.
For example, if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, use only one teaspoon. Because dried herbs are more potent, they require less than using fresh herbs.
Since I grow herbs in my kitchen and outside all year round, I am spoiled with fresh herbs. However, if you don’t have fresh, use dry. Please make sure you remember that less is more with dried herbs.
I chose fresh mint, parsley, and basil for this Mediterranean salad recipe. All these herbs work well with Mediterranean cuisine but taste great together.
Mediterranean dressing ingredients
The dressing compliments the vegetables and flavors because of the combination of herbs and ingredients in the Mediterranean salad recipe. And, because flavors develop over time, I recommend dressing the salad an hour or so before serving.
- Lemon + Zest: Fresh lemons and lemon zest bring freshness and citrus flavor to this simple dressing.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Red wine vinegar is made from red wine. This means the secondary flavor (behind all the tang) is fruit. Among wine vinegars, red wine tends to pack more punch with a more vibrant grape flavor. The smell is hot and strong, subtle contrast.
- Maple Syrup: The maple syrup sweetens the dressing slightly and tempers the tartness of the lemon juice and red wine vinegar.
Substitute Mediterranean dressing ingredients
- If you don’t have fresh lemon juice and zest, use bottled lemon juice and increase the amount by 1 teaspoon to accommodate the lemon zest.
- Use balsamic vinegar or white vinegar instead of red wine vinegar.
- Substitute date syrup or agave nectar for maple syrup in the dressing.
Mediterranean salad ingredients
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas are the base of salads, packed with protein.
- English Cucumber: I like English cucumbers because they contain fewer seeds and don’t weigh the salad down with excess water.
- Red Onion: Red onion works perfectly with sweet, tangy and other ingredients.
- Grape tomatoes: Grape tomatoes are the perfect size for cutting in half for a salad. They contain fewer seeds, preventing the salad from getting soggy.
- Kalamata Olives: I like kalamata olives Because they’re like little flavor explosions. Their bold saltiness makes a perfect addition to this Mediterranean salad with chickpeas.
- Caper: Capers Reminiscent of the lemony tang and saltiness of green olives but with a smack of floral tartness. Because they are packed in brine, capers also boast a bold salty, savory flavor
- Mint: Mint has a sweet taste and creates a lasting cooling effect on the tongue. Peppermint has a stronger flavor with more menthol flavor. Fresh leaves have the most flavor and aroma, which is greatly reduced in dried mint leaves.
- Parsley: Parsley has a clean and peppery flavor with a touch of earthiness, making it a great all-rounder in the kitchen.
- Mint: There is a fresh taste of sweet basil with a finish of black pepper and subtle fennel and mint notes. It has a strong black licorice flavor and is milder than the Thai variety.
- Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
Substitute Mediterranean salad ingredients
- If you don’t like chickpeas, try white beans.
- Persian cucumbers are similar to English, except that they contain fewer seeds than ordinary ones. If you only have regular cucumbers, I recommend cutting them down the middle and removing the seeds before slicing and adding them to the salad.
- Use green onions or yellow onions as a substitute for red onions.
- Similar to grape tomatoes in the form of cherry tomatoes or snacking tomatoes.
- Although fresh herbs are always best, a good proportion is 1 to 3. For example, if a recipe calls for 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, use 1 teaspoon dried. Dried herbs contain less oil because they are dehydrated. However, these oils are trapped deeper inside the herbs.
- A clove of garlic is equal to about ⅛ of a teaspoon of garlic powder.
How to Make Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Other than herbs and dressings, of course, there are arrays of vegetables and other goodies. Chickpeas are the base of the salad, followed by cucumbers, red onions and grape tomatoes.
Then, I add the Kalamata olives and capers For added zest and zing! Then, the herbs are added last, followed by the simple dressing. The nest, it all gets tossed together, is a beautiful wedding in the refrigerator.
Once the Mediterranean salad has marinated in the refrigerator, you can serve it as an entrée salad or side dish, or wrap it up with some hummus. Another idea is to add kale and quinoa or top with some grilled Mediterranean tofu.
This is one of my favorite salads, not only because it’s simple but also because it’s delicious. I served a Mediterranean salad on the side for my vegan lobster rolls.
Another idea for this salad is to add grilled tofu as an entrée salad. Or, add kale and quinoa for a hearty salad.
Recipe FAQs
This Mediterranean salad with chickpeas has 222 calories and only 1 gram of fat.
While black olives are round and completely black, Kalamata olives are more almond-shaped, not black but brown. And Kalamata olives have a bold, distinctive flavor.
This salad recipe lasts 5-7 days in the fridge. Dress the salad ahead of time for maximum flavor, which grows over time.
advice
- If using dry chickpeas, soak overnight before cooking; Once cooked, you may want to remove the skins by running them under cold water. Use your fingers to remove the skin.
- For canned chickpeas, drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander to remove the aquafaba, or save the aquafaba in a separate container for another recipe.
- I use a vegetable chopper To speed up the cutting process and make all the vegetables uniform.
- The flavor of the salad develops over time, so it is recommended to refrigerate it for an hour or more before serving.
- Serve as a side dish or a main salad.
- I make this salad and enjoy it throughout the week for a quick and easy lunch.
- Or, serve as an entrée salad with grilled tofu or tempeh. I like to add quinoa, barley, farro or brown rice.
For a quick and easy meal in minimal time, try this Mediterranean Salad with Chickpeas.
More delicious vegan salads to try!
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📖 Recipe
Mediterranean salad
Simple and delicious, this Mediterranean salad with chickpeas is loaded with vegetables with an oil-free dressing. It’s gluten-free and full of flavor; This is a great side dish or entrée salad.
instructions
salad
Wash the chickpeas.
Place chickpeas in a large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients except dressing.
dressing
Whisk the ingredients together in a measuring cup.
Pour over the salad ingredients.
Toss together, cover and refrigerate.
Comment
- If using dry chickpeas, soak overnight before cooking; Once cooked, you may want to remove the skins by running the cooked chickpeas under cold water. Use your fingers to remove the skin.
- For canned chickpeas, drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander to remove the aquafaba, or save the aquafaba in a separate container for another recipe.
- I use a vegetable chopper To speed up the chopping process and make all the vegetables evenly sized.
- The flavor of the salad develops over time, so it is recommended to refrigerate it for an hour or more before serving.
- Serve as a side dish or a main salad.
- I make this salad and enjoy it throughout the week for a quick and easy lunch.
- Or, serve as an entrée salad with grilled tofu or tempeh. I like to add quinoa, barley, farro or brown rice.
nutrition
Worship: 12gCalories: 117kcalSugars: 20gProtein: 6gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gSodium: 101mgPotassium: 246mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 267IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg
Oh! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher and vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is completely plant-based vegan. I truly believe that what we eat and how we live determines our health and the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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